The collapse of global financial markets in late 2008 has given Mining companies in Australia a welcome gift for 2009. The rejection of the anti-worker ‘Work Choices’ legislation by the Rudd government in 2008 had kick started feelings of optimism and solidarity amongst mine workers in the conspicuously un-unionised mines of Western Australia.

"A shorter workday for all employed workers would put thousands of unemployed to work.  If everybody worked, there would be no poverty."

---IWW's 'Little Red Songbook' of 1923

"The answer to all opponents to the reduction of hours of labor could well be given in these words: that so long as there is one man who seeks employment and cannot obtain it, the hours of labor are too long."

Open letter from the Firefighters Union February 14th, 2009

We will be fighting more fires unless we tackle the problem’s source.

An Open Letter from Peter Marshall, national secretary of the United Firefighters Union of Australia.

http://www.ufua.asn.au/

DEAR Mr Rudd and Mr Brumby,

On behalf of more than 13,000 firefighters and support staff in Australia, I write this open letter to request a review of Australia’s fire risk and our readiness to meet future catastrophic events. The fires in Victoria have ripped through towns and suburbs, farms and forests, destroying lives and livelihoods. Ashen remains are the sorrowful legacy of the devastation they caused. Never before in Australian history have we been confronted with such destruction at the hands of fire.

Firefighters work in conditions that most of the public try to flee. We often put our lives on the line. We understand that our job is dangerous by its very nature. However, we are gravely concerned that current federal and state government policies seem destined to ensure a repeat of the recent tragic events. Consider the devastation in Victoria.

The biotech industry employs hundreds of thousands of workers in the United States yet the health and safety of workers and communities could be in jeopardy. Injured Agraquest biotech worker David Bell talks about his experience at the Davis based company which was owned by Pam Marrone. He recounts the lack of health and safety production in the genetic engineering laboratory. Bell reports that fungus and bacteria was brought into the country and although he reported it there was not action by government agencies that do oversight in importation of such substances.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2567912703426192318

Labor On The Job on 12/12/2008 interviews Agraquest biotech workers David Bell. Bell talks about his work at the Davis California based company owned by Pam Marrone and how the lack of proper health and safety protection led to his contamination and sickness. He also discusses how the company sought to cover-up their responsibility for his illness and the corruption and breakdown of the workers compensation system along with the failure of health and safety regulatory agencies such as OSHA.

http://mollymew.blogspot.com/

The interests of workers can only be defended by the workers themselves! We offer to coordinate our efforts, creating the Coordination Committee of struggling teams in Ukraine. . This committee shall nominate a joint claim on behalf of workers in Ukraine and to coordinate joint actions to implement these requirements. We propose to put forward the following demands:

* No cuts! Workers should not pay for the mistakes of the owners of factories and the authorities!

*No bankruptcies and closures! * Nationalization of strategic factories and enterprises under the control of labor! In the first place where the owners cut jobs refuse to pay wages and destroy production.

*The confiscation of the bank accounts of owners of factories, and repayment of debts on wages, as well as payments to the budgets and pension funds.

The pattern is clear: governments that respond to a crisis created by free-market ideology with an acceleration of that same discredited agenda will not survive to tell the tale. As Italy's students have taken to shouting in the streets: "We won't pay for your crisis!" http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/feb/06/global-recession-backlash

"unlimited" strike, French university strikes intensify Twenty cities across Frances see marches of lecturers and students over job cuts and status changes * Gwladys FoucheThursday 5 February 2009

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/feb/05/internationaleducationnews-france

!!!!PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY!!!!
Emergency Appeal – Please Help Support IWW Drivers Fired for Organizing
www.truckers.iww.org
Hi,
My name is Tom and I'm a volunteer for the IWW's Freight Truckers Organizing Committee.   I've spoken to many of you over the phone over the past couple of days.  For others of you, perhaps Fellow Workers Jake or Mark spoke to you or left you a message.   We thank you for your time and were hoping you could spare five more minutes.

International developments in airport workers' struggles

As recession and job losses seem imminent, airport staff across the world have been organising to oppose their negative effects. http://libcom.org/news/international-developments-airport-workers-struggles-17012009

Air France unions have called for employees to join mass strikes due to take place on January 29. A statement released last night by seven unions including the two biggest ones, the CFDT and CGT, called for employees to demand greater protection for jobs and pay in the face of the current economic crisis. The statement said: "While the management prepares to restructure, freeze pay and make discussions more difficult, our unions are coming together to join the national strike on January 29." Unions say employees, jobseekers and the retired are the greatest victims of a crisis for which they are not responsible.

the www.firecrisis.com campaign has been established to enable members of the public to assist firefighters in making our community safe. There are significant problems with your fire service at the moment which has lead to extreme frustration and a high level of stress amongst firefighters due to the MFB management failures and the inaction of the Brumby Government in taking steps to rectify these concerns. As part of the ongoing campaign of community awareness there's a public meeting being held:

FOOTSCRAY FIRE STATION COMMUNITY MEETING

THURSDAY, 15 JANUARY, 2009 FOOTSCRAY FIRE STATION 69 DROOP STREET, FOOTSCRAY

TIME: 7.30PM

To refresh your memory about the issues that will be discussed at the meeting, please go to www.firecrisis.com news page. Please let others know about this situation.

Peter Marshall Secretary United Firefighters Union Australia

Tel: (03) 9419 8811

Fax: (03) 9419 9258

Mob: 0419 127 004

Strength In Unity

Clarifications Hello all! Just a quick post.

SHAC are not adverse to criticism or suggestion – in fact we think it is a really important part of SHAC and the process we’re engaging in. New ideas and different perspectives help the campaign grow and prosper. However because we at SHAC love clarifications (though not as much as we love affordable housing) we just want to make a few in response to some of the feedback we’ve been getting. It’s not a question of right or wrong – we just want to make sure our actions and message are as clearly represented as possible.

That our call for students to come and support us whilst we’re facing eviction is a threat of violent protest.